High Speed Low Drag Bomb#Tactical Advance Range Augmentation (TARA)

The Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE),{{Cite web|date=2017-12-18|title=Glide Bomb SAAW: Guided weapon's success proof of DRDO prowess in developing indigenous capability|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/glide-bomb-saaw-guided-weapons-success-proof-of-drdo-prowess-in-developing-indigenous-capability/978209/|access-date=2020-09-22|website=The Financial Express|language=en-US}} Pune is the primary agency that started developing HSLD with the help from other DRDO laboratories to upgrade the conventional free fall unguided ordnance used by the Indian Air force (IAF) fighter pilots while Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is the lead production agency.{{Cite web |last=Thiagarajan |first=Sriram |date=2017-10-09 |title=New Generation ARDE Munitions Boost Indian Airforce Firepower |url=http://delhidefencereview.com/2017/10/09/new-generation-arde-munitions-boost-indian-airforce-firepower/ |access-date=2020-03-22 |website=Delhi Defence Review |language=en-GB}}

The development started with the aim to replace the older generation imported general purpose bombs that impose huge drag loss on fighter aircraft used by the IAF. The HSLD bomb is specially designed to productively use the higher speed of up to Mach 1.1 and wider flight envelope of newer generation NATO and Russian origin as well as Indian made aircraft. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) developed the conventional type warhead that features blast, fragmentation and shaped charge for bunker buster role which uses Dentex as primary explosive for HSLD 450 and Torpex-4B mixed with RDX that act as explosive booster for HSLD 500.{{cite journal |title= Cast aluminized explosives (Review)|journal= Combustion, Explosion, and Shock Waves|date=3 October 2007 |volume=44 |issue=July 2008 |pages=461–477 |doi=10.1007/s10573-008-0073-2 |last1= Vadhe|first1= P. P.|last2= Pawar|first2= R. B.|last3= Sinha|first3= R. K.|last4= Asthana|first4= S. N.|last5= Subhananda Rao|first5= A.|s2cid= 97973762}} By feeding the target coordinates, the warhead can be used to effectively destroy runway, railway track, bridge, industrial facility, dock and bunker while able to work in the absence of GNSS input due to satellite jamming.{{Cite web|last=Dutta|first=Amrita Nayak|date=2019-05-28|title=What is DRDO's inertial guided bomb and how it will boost India's defence capability|url=https://theprint.in/defence/what-is-drdos-inertial-guided-bomb-and-how-it-will-boost-indias-defence-capability/242066/|access-date=2020-09-22|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Thiagarajan |first=Sriram |date=2017-10-09 |title=New Generation ARDE Munitions Boost Indian Airforce Firepower {{!}} Delhi Defence Review |url=https://delhidefencereview.com/2017/10/09/new-generation-arde-munitions-boost-indian-airforce-firepower/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |language=en-GB}}

The family of HSLD comes in two versions namely a General Purpose Bomb (GPB) and a Precision Guided High Speed Low Drag (PGHSLD) unit under three different weight class category. The PGHSLD features semi-active laser homing and anti-jamming satellite navigation antenna. It is designed to carry a nose extension unit (NEU) with fixed canard for lift, stability and two different types of smart tail unit (STU) with individual independent fins controlled by a flight control unit (FCU) attached to a telemetry module to cover the whole spectrum of mission profile. The STU features a retarder tail unit (RTU) that is for low-level bombing missions, while a ballistic tail unit (BTU) is for strategic high level bombing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.drdo.gov.in/gps-ins-guidance-and-control-kit-450-kg-hsld-bomb|title=GPS / INS Guidance and Control Kit for 450 kg HSLD Bomb|last=DRDO|website=Defence Research and Development Organisation|access-date=23 March 2020}}{{Cite web |last=DRDO |title=ARDE CARRIES OUT SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT TRIALS OF 500 KG GENERAL PURPOSE BOMB |url=https://tdf.drdo.gov.in/technology_updates/index/6 |url-status=dead |access-date=24 March 2020 |website=DRDO Technology Development Fund |archive-date=18 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718182741/https://tdf.drdo.gov.in/technology_updates/index/6 }}{{Cite web |last=DRDO |title=ARDE CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL TRIALS OF WEAPON PRECISION GUIDED HIGH SPEED LOW DRAG AIRCRAFT BOMB |url=https://tdf.drdo.gov.in/technology_updates/index/8 |access-date=24 March 2020 |website=DRDO Technology Development Fund}}{{dead link|date=May 2024}}

Each HSLD-500 GPB carries 10,300 steel shells of 15 mm diameter. Each shell can target an area of up to 50 m from place of detonation with fragment density of >1 hit/sq m. IAF has already successfully tested PG HSLD 500 from Su-30MKI platform.{{Cite web |date=11 January 2022 |title=DNA Explainer: The bomb that can destroy any airport in Pakistan |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-dna-explainer-gp-bomb-that-can-destroy-any-airport-in-pakistan-drdo-jabalpur-ordnance-factory-sukhoi-30-jaguar-2927949 |access-date=2022-01-18 |website=DNA India |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=500kg Prefragmented Bomb {{!}} Defence Research and Development Organisation - DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Government of India |url=https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/500kg-prefragmented-bomb |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=www.drdo.gov.in}}

HSLD can be launched from variety of aircraft that are under IAF inventory like Dassault Mirage 2000, Mikoyan MiG-29, SEPECAT Jaguar, Sukhoi Su-30MKI and HAL Tejas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defenseworld.net/news/20565/DRDO_Tests_500_Kg_General_Purpose_Bomb_From_Su_30MKI_Aircraft|title=DRDO Tests 500 Kg General Purpose Bomb From Su-30MKI Aircraft|website=www.defenseworld.net|access-date=2020-03-23}}

On 7 August 2024, IAF issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) was floated by the Ministry of Defence for the upgrade of 24 MiG-29s, to integrate HSLD Mk 2 bombs/missiles with a range of 180 km. These upgrade will include addition of additional hardware (bomb racks on external hardpoints) as well as necessary software on to the aircraft. The project shall be overseen by No. 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the IAF. Subsequently, the entire fleet will be equipped with this in phases. HSLD Mk II is integrated and deployed on Su-30MKI and SEPECAT Jaguar fleet. The IAF has sought MoD for manufacturing HSLD Mk II in India.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-12 |title=IAF seeks urgent upgradation of MiG-29 fighters to carry long-range, high-speed ground attack missiles |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/iaf-seeks-urgent-upgradation-of-mig-29-fighters-to-carry-long-range-high-speed-ground-attack-missiles/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=The Tribune}}{{Cite web |title=statement of case for aip manufacture of hsld mk ii missile |url=https://www.makeinindiadefence.gov.in/admin/writereaddata/upload/project/project_file/HSLD.pdf |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Make in India Defence Production}}

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave the green light to start mass production of 500 kg general purpose bomb by Munitions India Limited at Ordnance Factory Khamaria. On 17 January 2022, under the guidance of a team from HEMRL and ARDE, the first two HSLD-500s were carefully filled with primary and secondary warhead fillings.

File:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh explained about TARA Glide bomb kit.jpg

As of 2024, DRDO is working on development of Tactical Advance Range Augmentation (TARA) Range Extension Kit (REK) for the HSLD family of bombs. The first REK-equipped HSLD 250 was showcased in March 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-16 |title=New 250kg HSLD Bomb with Range Extension Kit Showcased During Bharat Shakti Exercise |url=https://defence.in/threads/new-250kg-hsld-bomb-with-range-extension-kit-showcased-during-bharat-shakti-exercise.4545/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Defence.in |language=en-US}} The REK kit uses a wing and tail unit to glide for a longer distance before hitting its target. The TARA REK will incorporate electro-optical guidance and imaging infrared for enhanced precision. The expected range of the bomb is 150-180 km when launched at 5 km altitude and a speed of Mach 0.8. The CEP of the kit should be <5 m This plan is included in Innovation for Defence excellence Programme (iDEX) of the Ministry of Defence. There will be 3 variants of REK kit, for HSLD-250, HSLD-450 and HSLD-500 bombs.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-07 |title=iDEX Challenge: Startups Set to Convert Legacy Bombs into Smart Weapons |url=https://defence.in/threads/idex-challenge-startups-set-to-convert-legacy-bombs-into-smart-weapons.4282/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Defence.in |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Development of booster assisted REK with EO-IR terminal guidance {{!}} iDEX |url=https://idex.gov.in/challenges-cpt/1774 |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=idex.gov.in}}{{Cite tweet |number=1773348766583550373 |user=GODOFPARADOXES |title=DRDO Tactical Advance Range Augmentation (TARA) Range {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|Extention}} Kit (REK) Variants a. TARA 250 b. TARA 450... |date=2024-03-28 |access-date=2024-07-28}}

Two successful developmental trials were conducted in 2013 to prove the capability of the munition with all development related works to be completed by 2014.{{Cite news|title=India developing guided bombs for fighters|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-developing-guided-bombs-for-fighters/articleshow/20391950.cms|access-date=2020-09-22}} From 22 May 2017, ARDE and IAF conducted a series of carriage as well as carriage release trials (CRT) for High Speed Low Drag 500 kg class unit, with both general purpose and precision guided variant at Pokhran range, Rajasthan. In initial carriage trial, the bomb carried sensors, telemetry and data logger while during the separate CRT session, satellite guidance units were added which flew on Su-30MKI from Jodhpur Air force Station. The bomb touched the carriage limit of 1041 km/h (0.85 mach) at 150 metre altitude on Su-30MKI that performed a 6.5 g full roll manoeuvre during the first GPB 500 trial while the PGHSLD 500 separation was carried out from an altitude of 5 km at a speed of 900 km/h (0.73 mach). Both bombs cleared the flight envelope and completed all the required parameters without any form of mechanical damage during the high speed release from the aircraft. The Su-30MKI was from No. 31 Squadron based in AFS Jodhpur. The trials were conducted with the help of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Indian Air Force Test Pilot School and Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).{{Cite web|url=https://www.eastcoastdaily.in/2017/09/09/india-successfully-tests-500-kg-indigenous-hsld-bomb.html|title=India successfully tests 500 kg Indigenous HSLD Bomb|website=East Coast Daily English|date=9 September 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-23}}

• General Purpose Bomb – 100 kg, 250 kg, 450 kg and 500 kg
• Precision Guided Bomb – 450 kg and 500 kg

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• {{air force|India}}

{{Reflist}}

1. {{note|article}} DRDO tested ATGM NAG successfully. DRDO Newsletter. August 2017 Issue.

• {{Cite news |url=https://www.drdo.gov.in/sites/default/files/newsletter-document/August_17.pdf |title=DRDO Newsletter |publisher=Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre |date=August 2017}}

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Category:Defence Research and Development Organisation

Category:Aerial bombs of India

Category:Targeting (warfare)

Category:Guided bombs